Play Therapy Community

Latest Episodes:

75: EMDR Therapy with Children Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

In this Episode, Jackie Flynn, EMDRIA approved consultant and a registered play therapist talks about EMDR therapy with kids. EMDR Therapy has 8 phases: 1. History Talking, 2. Preparation, 3. Assessment, 4. Desensitization, 5. Reprocessing, 6. Body Scan, 7. Closure, 8. Reevaluation.

Since children are not miniature adults, it's important to work with children in developmentally appropriate ways. Play Therapy techniques can be integrated into all 8 of the phases to support children's developing brains. Be sure to check out www.jackieflynnconsulting.com if you are an EMDR trained therapist in search of advanced training to teach you how to adapt your work to fit the needs of your child and teen clients.

74: Sandtray Therapy Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Jamie shares with us some basic information about Sandtray Therapy.

She discusses the importance of formalized training and warns against offering sandtray therapy to your clients if you have not received adequate training.

Sandtray is a powerful tool that can open up and heal some painful issues that require specialized training to ensure client emotional safety.

Jamie Lynn Langley, LCSW, RPT-S has been a practicing child, family and play therapist in Tennessee for almost 30 years. For most of that time she worked in community mental health before going into private practice in late 2016. Jamie is also an adjunct professor for two universities in Tennessee (Middle TN State University and Lipscomb University). She co-founded and serves as the President of the Tennessee branch of the Association for Play Therapy and is a charter member of the Children & Nature Network founded by RIchard Louv. Jamie specializes in working with children and their families who have undergone trauma, loss, divorce, disruption and other adverse conditions and brings in nature as part of healing practice whenever possible. A former Cub Scout leader for 15 years, she especially enjoys her personal and family time in nature, especially at the beach and the breathtaking Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

Jamie Lynn Langley, LCSW, RPT-S

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor

President, TN Association for Play Therapy

Adjunct Faculty, MTSU Dept. of Social Work and

Lipscomb University Dept. of Psychology, Counseling and Family Science

Board Member, World Assoc of Sand Therapy Professionals

73: Helping Children with Autism and other Social Communication Challenges Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Sarah Wayland shares with us a bit about the developing brain and the differing aspects of those with an autism spectrum disorder.

She shares personal stories about the importance of the child relationship and how fluctuations in the parents' emotional regulation can effect the child.

Sarah discusses how children with an autism spectrum disorder often struggle with social situations and how we can support them through parent consultation and working directly with the child themselves.

Sarah Wayland is a certified RDI™ Consultant, parent coach, and Special Needs Care Navigator at the company she founded, Guiding Exceptional Parents. She helps parents of children with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and other brain-based differences learn how to confidently and effectively help their children at home, at school, and in the community. As an RDI™ consultant, Dr. Wayland works with parents of kids who have trouble connecting with others to show them how to teach their children the essential skills that make relationships work. By learning about everyone in the family and collaborating with them, she helps families develop customized strategies that work.

Dr. Wayland got her B.A. from Rice University, her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Brandeis University, and had two postdoctoral fellowships - one at Northeastern University and another at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She has worked as a software designer, and as a researcher, but her most valuable training came from parenting her two boys, both exceptional. You can learn more at www.guidingexceptionalparents.com.

72: Exploring the Therapeutic Benefits of Food Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Althea Simpson shares with us about how she uses food to support her clients in session when necessary.

She explains that some clients may have experienced the trauma of neglect and being without food in their past which can feel extremely dysregulating to clients.

When we use food in session, we help our clients to feel nurtured and cared about.

Althea Simpson is the founder of Brighter Day Therapeutic Solutions and Unicorn Life Play Therapy Training. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. Additionally, Althea has a B.S. in Business Management; MBA in Marketing: and MSW in Organizational Leadership. Althea's passion for helping individuals go from "Hurt to Healed" aided in her decision to return to George Mason University to complete requirements to become a Clinical Social Worker and specialize in trauma recovery. Althea's experience in the fields of business and mental health spans 20 years. Althea is pursuing her PhD in Business Psychology Consulting at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Althea Simpson, LCSW, LICSW, CCTP, SAP, CAMS-II, RPT-S, CSOTP Resident

Brighter Day Therapeutic Solutions, PLLC

Website: www.brighter-day.net

Symposium Website: www.blackplaytherapy.com

71: Supporting Our LGBTQ Youth Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Samantha Willis shares with us about the painful experiences that our LGBTQ youth often go through alone. She stressed the importance of acceptance and compassion.

She mentions the benefits of displaying symbols, such as a rainbow, that communicate a message that she is a safe person to authentically share with.

She recommends that therapists connect with other therapists in their area to maximize benefits for clients in search of a therapist that can support their unique needs.

Samantha earned a Master's of Education in Counseling and Guidance with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health from the University of Montevallo. She also earned Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Social Work with a Minor in Philosophy and Religion from the University of Montevallo. Samantha is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Alabama, a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and Registered Play Therapist. Samantha has a certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She utilizes peer-reviewed and evidence-based therapeutic techniques in her practice such as play therapy, sand tray therapy, and art therapy. Samantha is a Body-Brain sand tray specialist and uses the techniques with all ages.

Samantha works primarily with clients who have experienced trauma, experience dissociative symptoms, are in the LGBTQ+ community, or are transgender. Samantha is currently a student at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) studying Gender Studies and is currently writing her thesis entitled "Transgender and Non-Binary Lived Experiences Among Southern Appalachian Youth: Correlations of Mental Health and Interpersonal Relationship Dynamics Before, During, and After the Coming out Process."

Samantha Willis, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, Registered Play Therapist

Avail Services, LLC

Websites: avail.services, avail.institute

70: Understanding the Aftermath of Shame Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Sandra explains how shame impacts a child's development. She offers some tips to process through shame as well as presents a technique that therapists can use to support their clients through the healing process.

Sandra B. Stanford, LMHC, has a heart for people who find themselves in hard situations. Because of this passion, she earned her Master's Degree in Psychological Counseling from Palm Beach Atlantic University (Orlando campus). She currently is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor practicing at Charis Counseling Center in Titusville, FL.

Sandra is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which helps in the healing process for people who have experienced traumatic events. She is a Daring Way Facilitator in Brene Brown's organization which focuses on "I am enough…now!

Sandra also works with couples and is the founder of Our Marriage Matters retreats and conferences.

Sandra received her BS in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University (Palm Beach campus) in 1986. She and her wonderful husband, David, have been married since 1988. They have two precious adult children, Jonathan and Anna Beth and a son in love, Christopher, new grandson Ashton and 2 Airedale grand-dogs named Sherlock and Weta.

Sandra B. Stanford, MS, LMHC MH13286

EMDR CERTIFIED THERAPIST

Certified Daring Way ™ Facilitator

Founder Our Marriage Matters Retreats/Workshops

https://sandrabstanfordcounseling.com/

https://www.chariscounselingcenter.com/sandra-stanford/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRziopWTHJ13cDNSMYQxgaA

69: Synergetic Play Therapy with Lisa Dion Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

Lisa Dion is the creator of Synergetic Play Therapy and is the founder and director of the Play Therapy Institute of Colorado

She is experienced in many settings to include private practice, schools, social services, foster care agencies, and orphanages.

Synergetic Play Therapy's name was influenced by Lisa's love for the brain and understanding what happens in the nervous system.

The collaboration between the child and the therapist, and on a deeper level between the mind, breath, body is an important support in the therapeutic process. Through this realization, she was drawn to the word "synergy" since it is the idea that when 2 parts come together, the effect is so much greater than what they are individually. Collaboration within the therapist, child and between them both is cultivated.

Through Lisa's work, before she created Synergetic Play Therapy, she felt like something was missing. She had a personal experience with her daughter that gave her an intuitive felt sense of the importance of bringing in the nervous system getting into the somatics. Becoming an external regulator can take it to a deeper level of healing. Accessing the brainstem allows for work involving the level of attunement such as what's present between a caregiver and an infant.

Lisa's students say that it feels like a way of being rather than a model. Her students report transforming through the process and it spills over into their other relationships.

Synergetic Play Therapy is not a list of fun techniques or activities to do with the child, but rather it is a "way of being".

One of her students said, "Synergetic Play Therapy gives birth to the authentic self within the child and the therapist."

Lisa urges her students to study as many philosophies and models of play therapy as possible to maximize their abilities.

Implicit memories bring a feeling and a felt sense that was placed in the early years. Often before the age 3, the implicit memories provide the structures in the brain.

When Lisa's daughter was born, she was emotionally dysregulated. While Lisa was pregnant with her, they both experienced a car crash. When she was born, Lisa was on a journey to help her rewire her nervous system. She had her first play therapy experience at 9 months old where she played out shock of what she felt when the car accident happened.

The exchange happening between the therapist and the child is such a vital part of therapy.

Synergetic play therapy teaches the therapist what to do with their personal experience of what the child is feeling and experiencing through the play.

When parents are dysregulated, they need to regulate before they tend to their child.

The therapist does a lot of breathing, and modeling for the child.

The mirror neuron system allows the child to borrow the therapist's regulatory system. Therapist use themselves to support the child through their healing. The therapist is intentionally authentic and may rock, say things, and do things that the child needs right in the moment.

Lisa tells a story of a child that had many generalized fears that learned regulatory techniques such as holding her heart and stomach while she did that during his expressions of the fearful scenerios. In session 3, he reported that he knew what to do when he got scared. He was able to borrow her nervous system, watch how she handled the situations, and internalized a way of taking care of himself during these types of situations. Through that process, his nervous system got rewired organically and experientially.

This process also helps keep the therapist well during the process.

Synergetic Play Therapy also offers a certification option as well.

Lisa has a new book coming out in Spring of 2018, "Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Intensity" from Norton Publishers.

Lessons from the Playroom bi-weekly Podcast https://playtherapycolorado.com/podcasts/

Hour Live Webinar – 1 x a month https://playtherapycolorado.com/webinar/

Community Membership https://learn.playtherapycolorado.com/product/membership-site/

Play Therapy Institute of Colorado's Website: https://playtherapycolorado.com/

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www.counselinginbrevard.com

www.playtherapycommunity.com

www.parentingintherain.com

www.jackieflynnconsulting.com

https://twitter.com/jackieflynnrpt

68: The Language of Adoption with Jill Aller, EdS Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

Jill Aller is an adoption consultant for A Step Ahead Adoption Services and is an adoptive mom of two children, ages 6 and 4.
Jill has a B.A. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Teaching and an Ed.S. degree in Counseling. She adopted her two children through the help of A Step Ahead adoption services and had such a great experience with them that she went to work for them four years ago. Both children have very open adoptions, where they are still in touch with their biological families. Jill has lived all over the U.S. but is now happily settled in Florida with her extended family. Jill is passionate about helping others navigate their adoption journeys in a mindful, balanced way.
The language that we use helps shape the way we think about adoption.
The feeling that the language reflects becomes our children's inner voice.
"She gave up the baby for adoption" sounds like a rejection. "She placed the baby for adoption" or she made an adoption plan" is a much better way to phrase it. This sounds helpful and intentional. It feels loving and nurturing.
Jill talks to her children in an active voice about adoption with phrases such as "we adopted then" to put the focus on her putting the effort into making them a part of her family.
More positive phrases include "birth family, tummy mommy, first family" instead of "the real mom". It evolves as they get over.
Since all of the people connected by adoption are connected by love. It is a pain entered into willingly connected by love.
Others my say things such as "she's so lucky to have you" out of good intention, but it can be construed as the biological family not being good. It's important to be mindful of the message that is conveyed and make sure it is focused more on the love shared. Statements such as "it's so great to see you as a family" is ideal.
It's important to honor the birth family with your words.
Being mindful of the language used to communicate about adoption is important for children and adults.
It's important to allow the adoptee to voice their feelings. Asking open ended questions can be so helpful.
Many of the baby boomers are just finding out they are adopted. This environment harbors pain and shame. Talking about it openly can be really supportive.
There's a continuum between closed and open adoption. Closed adoption is where the parents may not know anymore than their names. A semi-open is where they communicate through a 3rd party. An open adoption, often best for the mental health of the child and the birth family, is when theirs open connection. It's important to note that open adoption isn't always best for all families
Child Connect is a site that links families together.
When therapists work with adoptees, its important to allow space for grief and loss.
Adoption triad – birth family, adopted family, and the child.
Jill recommends the book 20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Know by Sherrie Eldridge.
Family therapy can be really beneficial to help the entire family.
Support groups can be incredibly helpful.
Online support, consulting, and other connections can be really helpful.
Connecting through groups can provide support and healing that can be found elsewhere.
Jill recommends "The Family Book" by Todd Parr . It's about adoption, but not soley about adoption.
Another book that she recommends is "It's Okay to be Different" also by Todd Parr.
Jill really likes the "Adoptive Families" magazine. https://www.adoptivefamilies.com
The Center for Adoption Support Education, CASE, is a great education resource. http://adoptionsupport.org
Adoption Counsel is a great resource at https://www.adoptioncouncil.orgA Step Ahead Adoption is a nationwide agency that helps people build their family in a healthy way.. There's a focus on helping the birth family. http://astepaheadadoption.com
There's many great children's books such as "A Mother for Choco", "Tell Me a Real Adoption Storyadop", "ABC: Adoption and Me", and the "Tummy Mummy".
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentingintherain/
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www.counselinginbrevard.com
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www.parentingintherain.com
www.jackieflynnconsulting.com
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67: Jackie's 15 Favorite Quotes with Jackie Flynn EdS, LMHC, RPT Dec 07, 2017

Show notes

"In between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." ~ Viktor Frankl

"Nobody can bring you peace but yourself." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." ~ Mother Teresa

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~ Lao-Tzu

"By changing nothing, nothing will change." ~ Tony Robbins

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." ~ Plato

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." - Mary Anne Radmocher

"I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." - Maya Angelou

When parents offer their children empathy and help them to cope with negative feelings like anger, sadness, and fear, parents build bridges of loyalty and affection." - Gottman

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

"Every person must choose how much truth he can stand." - Irvin Yalom, PhD.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." -Friedrich Nietzsche
Don't try to win over the haters; you are not a jackass whisperer."- Brene Brown
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

https://www.facebook.com/PLAYTHERAPYCOMMUNITY/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentingintherain/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1130971706932394/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolcounselors/

https://www.facebook.com/counselinginbrevard/

www.counselinginbrevard.com

www.playtherapycommunity.com

www.parentingintherain.com

www.jackieflynnconsulting.com

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66: Group Therapy with Children and Teens with Katie May MS, NCC, LPC, DBTC Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

Katie May is the "Group Guru".

She works exclusively with teenagers in a teen support center in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.

Groups energize Katie. She says that groups can' save th'e world.

In groups, people feel less alone in their struggles and they start to heal in ways that individual therapy can't provide.

Her groups are focused on the ideas of connection.

She told us about a group that she runs that looks at being nonjudgmental for teens. She talked about using rocks to illustrate the judgements that they have for themselves. She has them decorate the rocks to describe the judgements and toss them away as a concrete expression of getting rid of their judgements. The teens put the rocks in a bag, weigh them and then toss them away into the water. This helps with processing of letting go of the judgements.

Sometimes her groups do a "compliment circle" to express and receive kindness from others. Her pre and post assessment of their state of happiness improves after the kindness circle occurs.

Katie prefers clear names for groups, rather than clever names. This helps to make the process for the parents and caregivers looking for support for their child finding the groups simple and understanding .

Many times, teens can present with resistance towards therapy.

Katie runs a skills group for teens. The connection that they have with each other is really important.

She offers Dialectical Behavioral Therapy that she infuses in many of her groups. She provides experiential activities to help them actually know what works for them and how it feels.

Pros

Group therapy helps clients feel understood and connected to a positive support system. When people can connect with their peers to feel less alone. Social support is so very important and can be a positive experience.

Cons Group therapy isn't the best setting for deeper individual work that may involve trauma. Also, it can be challenging to balance time between the group members. Another con is that the group members' personalities don't always mesh.

It's so important to build trust and let the relationships form before diving into tough stuff. It's important to put yourself into the group member's shoes.

http://www.becomeagroupguru.com

https://playtherapycommunity.simplero.com/page/73863-free-download-tips-for-supporting-grieving-children

https://www.facebook.com/PLAYTHERAPYCOMMUNITY/

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/1130971706932394/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolcounselors/

https://www.facebook.com/counselinginbrevard/

www.counselinginbrevard.com

www.playtherapycommunity.com

www.parentingintherain.com

www.jackieflynnconsulting.com

https://twitter.com/jackieflynnrpt